as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
the scuffle escalated into a hammer-and-tongs fight
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sharply
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Recent Examples of hammer-and-tongs
Chris Wheatley, Longreads, 16 July 2024
The two conservative groups that brought the case were targeted by Harris in 2012-13, right around the time the IRS was going hammer and tongs after Tea Party groups.
—Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 1 July 2021
Two teams who seem destined to slug it out in the lower reaches of the table this season going hammer and tongs at each other never makes for a good watch.
—SI.com, 18 Sep. 2019
The Reds went hammer and tongs in their efforts to find a second, though their hosts were able to hold off the onslaught until the final 10 minutes of the clash.
—SI.com, 15 Aug. 2019
With two moderate Pyrenean climbs, Thursday’s Stage 12 from Toulouse, where cassoulet and rugby are both big, wasn’t tough enough for Thomas and his rivals to go at each other hammer and tongs.
—Washington Post, 18 July 2019
The way to stand out from the others is to go hammer and tongs for the opponents’ jugulars, or to try to sound more extreme than the others.
—Jim Jones, idahostatesman, 18 May 2018
Adverb
In 1971, authors Norman Mailer and Gore Vidal went at it hammer and tongs live on late-night TV in a showdown that allegedly spilled over into violence.
—Chris Wheatley, Longreads, 16 July 2024
The two conservative groups that brought the case were targeted by Harris in 2012-13, right around the time the IRS was going hammer and tongs after Tea Party groups.
—Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 1 July 2021
Two teams who seem destined to slug it out in the lower reaches of the table this season going hammer and tongs at each other never makes for a good watch.
—SI.com, 18 Sep. 2019
The Reds went hammer and tongs in their efforts to find a second, though their hosts were able to hold off the onslaught until the final 10 minutes of the clash.
—SI.com, 15 Aug. 2019
With two moderate Pyrenean climbs, Thursday’s Stage 12 from Toulouse, where cassoulet and rugby are both big, wasn’t tough enough for Thomas and his rivals to go at each other hammer and tongs.
—Washington Post, 18 July 2019
The way to stand out from the others is to go hammer and tongs for the opponents’ jugulars, or to try to sound more extreme than the others.
—Jim Jones, idahostatesman, 18 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hammer-and-tongs
Adjective
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Expect more videos aimed at further upsetting supporters of a losing candidate and designed to incite violent protests, officials have said.Sam Sabin, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
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Domestic violent extremists have increasingly shared tactics with each other on using guns to attack electric power stations in a move that likely escalates the threat to US critical infrastructure, according to a Department of Homeland Security bulletin obtained last year by CNN.Karina Tsui, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Characteristically, once she was married, Stewart tackled every ambition with ferocious discipline and took each failure as a personal crisis.Constance Grady, Vox, 4 Nov. 2024
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Lebanon’s health sector has been in the thick of a ferocious Israeli air assault as Israel and Hezbollah trade fire in an ongoing war, with the country’s south and Beirut’s southern suburbs hardest hit.Allegra Goodwin and Tamara Qiblawi, CNN, 2 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Competition is fierce:Phoenix progressives want their City Council seat back Who is running for Phoenix District 5? Maryvale-area residents will choose between incumbent Councilwoman Betty Guardado and challenger JJ Martinez in District 5.Taylor Seely, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024
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The track's tight configuration and storied history contribute to its reputation for fierce racing and frequent incidents.David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Adverb
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Fortunately for Toranaga, he’s got Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai), a talented translator and fiercely loyal samurai, by his side.Jennifer M. Wood, WIRED, 5 Nov. 2024
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After Trump won, partially thanks to that hard-line border security message, Democrats fiercely opposed his promise to build a border wall and his even more controversial — and loathed by voters — policy separating families at the border.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The videos, and the furious reaction from Trump supporters, illustrate two key facets of the US presidential campaign.Jason Ma, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2024
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Venus, reportedly furious, threatened to take them to court to seek full custody of the children.Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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In the recent Saturday Night movie, which mythologizes the series’ turbulent birth, Gabrielle LaBelle (playing a young Michaels) gives a speech about how SNL should feel like a wild night out in the city, all jazz and revelry.Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 11 Nov. 2024
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In these turbulent times, the role of states in safeguarding fundamental rights has never been more crucial.Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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What Klay Thompson’s return to the Bay really meant to him, the Warriors Curry, on a rough shooting night, took a charge on Jake LaRavia and then swiped Jaylen Wells in the backcourt before hitting a 3.Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
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Related Articles Clippers find something in reserve, rally past Spurs for 1st Intuit Dome win There are issues aplenty in Clippers’ rough six-game start Can James Harden carry these Clippers at 35?Janis Carr, Orange County Register, 6 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The nearest villages were covered by thick volcanic ash on Monday morning, Heronimus added.Reuters, NBC News, 4 Nov. 2024
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Padrón eventually relocated his factory to Nicaragua, where the mineral-rich volcanic soil, which imparts the leaves with distinctive earthy characteristics, was similar to Cuba’s Pinar del Río.Richard Carleton Hacker, Robb Report, 3 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near hammer-and-tongs
Cite this Entry
“Hammer-and-tongs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hammer-and-tongs. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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